할리우드 배우 휴 잭맨이 15일 오전 서울 용산구 한남동 하얏트 호텔에서 열린 영화 '더 울버린 3D' 내한 기자회견에서 포토타임을 갖고 있다. (연합뉴스)
할리우드의 대표적인 친한(親韓) 배우 휴 잭맨이 ‘엑스맨’ 시리즈의 6번째 영화 ‘더 울버린’ 홍보를 위해 15일 서울 용산구 한남동 그랜드하얏트에서 기자 회견이 열렸다.
이날 행사에서 그는 한국영화에 대한 관심을 표현해 눈길을 끌었다. 그는 한국으로 오는 비행기에서 영화 ‘도둑들’을 보고 재미있었다고 언급했다. 휴잭맨은 “한국영화에 출연할 의향이 있냐”는 질문에 “기회가 된다면 그러고 싶다. 오는 비행기에서 한국영화 ‘도둑들’을 인상 깊게 봤다. 한국사람들이 자국 영화에 대한 사랑이 남다르다고 들었다. 그런 점도 마음에 든다. 저를 영화에 출연시킬 감독님들은 연락 좀 달라”고 답해 현장을 폭소케 했다.
휴 잭맨의 한국 사랑은 유명하다. 지난 2006년과 2009년, 2012년 총 세 번에 걸쳐 한국을 방문한 그는 지난 2009년에는 서울시 홍보대사로 위촉되기도 했다.
휴 잭맨이 출연한 ‘더 울버린’은 태어나 처음으로 가장 약해진 자신의 모습을 발견한 울버린(휴 잭맨)이 예상치 못한 치명적인 적과 맞닥뜨리게 되면서 가장 강력하고 위험한 존재로 거듭나는 이야기를 그린 액션 블록버스터 영화다.
휴 잭맨은 13년간 6번을 맡아온 울버린 캐릭터에 대해서, “울버린이 흥미로운 이유는 그의 초인적인 능력뿐만 아니라 그의 인간성이다. 그는 2백 년 동안 살면서 주위에 있는 사랑하는 사람들을 잃고 그러한 부담감을 가지고 분노를 가지게 된 것이다. 울버린 마음 속에 있는 갈등을 표현해볼 수 있다는 것이 좋다”라고 얘기했다.
2000년도에’엑스맨’에서 처음으로 울버린이라는 케릭터로 등장한 휴 잭맨은 이번 영화가 오리지널 만화 속에 등장하는 울버린 캐릭터를 가장 정확히 표현했다고 한다. 따라서 ‘더 울버린’에 대한 기대감은 더욱 커지고 있다.
‘더 울버린’은 오는 25일에 개봉할 예정이다.
Hugh Jackman talks ‘The Wolverine’
Australian actor shares making of the superhero film, his love for Korean food
By Astha Rajvanshi, Claire Lee
Following his visit to Seoul last year to promote “Les Miserables,” Australian actor Hugh Jackman made his fourth visit to the city, this time with the sixth installment in the X-Men Film series, “The Wolverine.”
The actor, who made his first visit to Seoul took place in 2006 and his second in 2009, was appointed a goodwill ambassador for Seoul in 2009.
“Actually, Korea is the only place in the world I can go out for dinner and it is still on my Wolverine diet -- that’s Korean barbecue,” the actor, who said he takes his job as the goodwill ambassador for Seoul “very seriously,” told reporters during a press conference in Seoul on Monday.
“As a nation, you should be the strongest superheroes in the world.”
In the upcoming film, Jackman is returning as Wolverine, a mutant member of the X-Men. Directed by James Mangold, the latest chapter of the X-Men franchise is set in Japan and explores the background of Wolverine, as well as his tragic romance with his love interest, the late Jean Grey.
In the film, Wolverine struggles to cope with his immortality, after realizing everyone he loves eventually dies.
“I must admit that all along, what was most interesting about Wolverine’s character was not just his superhero strengths -- the claws, the healing ability -- but also the human side of him,” Jackman told reporters.
“It’s a very human quality that really makes him formidable, and that’s his preserved rage. This idea that what fuels him is actually very human and what causes that is out of pain and loss, loneliness, and the burden of being who he is for the past 200 years. And so I love that conflict within him, and I love being able to explore this.”
Jackman, who made his first appearance as Wolverine in 2000 in “X-Men,” commented that fans of Wolverine who are “very honest and blunt” with him about what they like and don’t like are excited for the movie as “it’s the closest depiction of the character” in the original comic series.
“This character is in the first American movie I’ve ever made, it is the foundation of the great opportunities that I’ve had in the past 13 years -- not only with this character but others,” he said. “I am very, very grateful for the part.”
Playing the adamantium-clawed mutant hero required the actor to get used to the claws. “I’m a lot better with the claws now,” the actor said. “The original pair was in fact real metal, they were razor sharp, and I stabbed myself several times, I stabbed the double for Mystique, and after I stabbed her I was mortified.“
The claws also made him go through some “serious” security checks at the airport. “I’ve taken the claws home, most famously at the end of X-Men 2, when I put them in my hand luggage and forgot about it,” he said.
“I then went to the airport and was stopped by the airport security officials who had never heard of the series, and when he calmly asked why I had 6 knives in my bag, I said ‘Oh, yes, of course, they’re just my claws!’ I think he thought I was a little crazy and I had to go to the backroom for some serious explanation.”
Jackman, who also serves as a producer for the film, described a bullet train sequence a “must see.”
“It’s a good emblem for the movie because while it’s spectacular, it just feels very real, very visceral, and intense.”
The actor, who said he enjoyed Korean film “The Thieves” on the plane to Seoul, said his children loved the gifts he brought them from his last visit to Korea.
“My daughter loves the Korean dress, the traditional Korean dress, and my son has the Korean flag still in his bedroom which I am sure will make you happy,” he said. “So I have to go out and get some more gifts for them. And also for my wife, of course, because as we say in my country, ‘happy wife, happy life.’”
“The Wolverine” opens in theaters in Korea on July 25.
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dyc@heraldcorp.com) (astha.raj06@gmail.com)